Systems and methods for smart charging techniques, value and guarantee

ABSTRACT

A system and methods that enables smart charging for electric resources. A smart charging method may include smart charging customer guarantees. The charging behavior guarantee may comprise a guaranteed charging schedule that matches a regular charging schedule of an electric resource and provides power flow flexibility. A smart charging method may also include periodically updated schedules. In addition, a smart charging method may manage electric resources via a smart charging benefit analysis. A smart charging benefit may include an impact resulting from the energy management system which is beneficial to an electric resource. A smart charging method may manage the charging behavior of the electric resources on a grid based on the smart charging benefit. Further, a smart charging method may manage electric resources via a smart charging benefit analysis and smart charging customer guarantees. A smart charging method also may schedules with overrides, and may involve a method for local load management in the presence of uncontrolled loads. A smart charging method for managing electric resources may also provide direct control over prices-to-devices enabled devices.

This application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No.12/839,235 entitled “SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR SMART CHARGING TECHNIQUES”filed Jul. 19, 2010 and is also a continuation-in-part of U.S.application Ser. No. 12/839,239 entitled “SMART CHARGING VALUE ANDGUARANTEE APPLICATION” filed Jul. 19, 2010, both of which claim priorityto Provisional Patent Application No. 61/226,497 filed Jul. 17, 2009.The entire disclosures of both applications are incorporated herein byreference. This application also incorporates herein by reference thefollowing: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/256,278 filed Oct.29, 2009; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,837 filed on Mar. 31,2010; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,845 filed on Mar. 31,2010; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,851 filed on Mar. 31,2010; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,852 filed on Mar. 31,2010; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,853 filed on Mar. 31,2010; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,862 filed on Mar. 31,2010; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/252,657 filed Oct. 16, 2008;U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/252,209 filed Oct. 15, 2008; U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/252,803 filed Oct. 16, 2008; and U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/252,950 filed Oct. 16, 2008.

This application includes material which is subject to copyrightprotection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimilereproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in thePatent and Trademark Office files or records, but otherwise reserves allcopyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to the field of chargingsystems for electrical storage devices, and in particular to novelsystems and methods for smart charging and charging distributed loads,such as a multitude of electric vehicle batteries.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Low-level electrical and communication interfaces to enable charging anddischarging of electric vehicles with respect to the grid is describedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,270 to Green et al., entitled, “Battery poweredelectric vehicle and electrical supply system,” incorporated herein byreference. The Green reference describes a bi-directional charging andcommunication system for grid-connected electric vehicles.

Current power flow management systems have a number of drawbacks. Simpletimer systems merely delay charging to a fixed off-peak time. There is aneed for the implementation of charge patterns for electric vehiclesthat provide a satisfactory level of flexibility, control andconvenience to electric vehicle owners. Purely schedule-based systemcannot address unpredictable operational demands.

Significant opportunities for improvement exist in managing power flowat the customer level. Modern electric vehicles could benefit in avariety of ways from a smart charging program that provides electricvehicle owners with guarantees, updates, benefit analysis, and overridesthat assist vehicle owners while coordinating the charging activities ofa number of vehicles in an efficient manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment for a method for managing electric resources with smartcharging customer guarantees includes determining a charging behaviorguarantee for a electric resource. The charging behavior guarantee maycomprise a guaranteed charging schedule that matches a regular chargingschedule of the electric resource. The guaranteed charging scheduleprovides power flow flexibility. The method includes transmitting thecharging behavior guarantee from a server to the electric resources,managing the charging behavior of electric resources based partially onthe guaranteed charging schedule. The management of the chargingbehavior is performed on a particular machine, which may comprise aphysical computing device.

An embodiment for a method for managing electric resources via a smartcharging benefit analysis includes determining a smart charging benefit,which is a benefit provided by an energy management system that manageselectric resources. The smart charging benefit is a beneficial impactresulting from the energy management system, and the beneficial impactis beneficial to the electric resource. The method further includestransmitting a benefit representation from a server to the electricresource, wherein the benefit representation represents the smartcharging benefit, and managing the charging behavior of electricresources based partially on the smart charging benefit. The managementof the charging behavior is performed on a particular machine, which maycomprise a physical computing device.

Electric vehicles could benefit in a variety of ways from a centrallycontrolled smart charging system administered by a smart chargingserver. These benefits may include a reduced cost of electricity,reduced congestion of the electric distribution network, and reducedgreenhouse gas emissions.

To work effectively, a smart charging system requires the centralcontrol of an outside entity via an external network, such as a server.This server would be responsible for coordinating the chargingactivities of a large number of vehicles distributed over a wide area,such as a city.

While it would be desirable to establish direct low-latencycommunications links between the server and each device or vehicle in asmart charging network, practical considerations sometimes preclude suchdirect connections. By using the correct techniques, a smart chargingserver could still produce substantial benefits while working within thecommunications constraints present in a particular locale orinstallation.

An embodiment of a method for smart charging via periodically updatedschedules includes periodically transmitting a charging schedule via anetwork from a server to electric resources. An electric resourcereceives the charging schedule via the network from the server. Further,the method includes replacing a prior charging schedule with thereceived charging schedule, where the replaced prior charging schedulepreviously controlled the charging behavior for the electric resource.

An embodiment of a method for smart charging via schedules withoverrides includes periodically transmitting a default charging schedulevia a network from a server to electric resources. An electric resourcereceives the default charging schedule via the network from the server.The method further includes transmitting a charging schedule overridefrom the server to the a electric resource and overriding the defaultcharging schedule with the charging schedule override. The chargingschedule override modifies the charging behavior for electric resource.

An embodiment of a method for local load management in the presence ofuncontrolled loads includes receiving, at a server, power levels forelectric resources located at a site. The method further includesdetermining a total power level for electric resources, where theelectric resources comprise controlled electric resources anduncontrolled electric resources, determining a controlled power levelfor the controlled electric resources, where the controlled power levelis adjustable via the server; and determining an uncontrolled powerlevel for the uncontrolled electric resources based on the total powerlevel and the controlled power level, where the uncontrolled power levelis unadjustable via the server. In addition, the method includesmanaging the total power level for the electric resources based on thesedeterminations. The management of the total power level is performed ona particular machine, which may comprise a physical computing device.

An embodiment of a method for managing electric resources with directcontrol over prices-to-devices enabled devices including determining anenergy price for electric resources, where the electric resourcescomprise prices-to-devices enabled electric resources. Theprices-to-devices enabled electric resources may have configurable rulesfor determining charging behavior based an energy price. The methodincludes adjusting the energy price for a prices-to-devices enabledelectric resource and transmitting, from a server, the adjusted energyprice to the prices-to-devices enabled electric resource. In addition,the method includes managing the charging behavior for theprices-to-devices enabled electric resource based on the adjusted energyprice. The management of the charging behavior is performed on aparticular machine, which may comprise a physical computing device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following more particulardescription of embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which reference characters refer to the same parts throughout thevarious views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasisinstead being placed upon illustrating principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example of a power aggregation system.

FIGS. 2A-2B are diagrams of an example of connections between anelectric vehicle, the power grid, and the Internet.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example of connections between anelectric resource and a flow control server of the power aggregationsystem.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example of a layout of the power aggregationsystem.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example of control areas in the poweraggregation system.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of multiple flow control centers in the poweraggregation system and a directory server for determining a flow controlcenter.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an example of flow control server.

FIG. 8A is a block diagram of an example of remote intelligent powerflow module.

FIG. 8B is a block diagram of an example of transceiver and chargingcomponent combination.

FIG. 8C is an illustration of an example of simple user interface forfacilitating user controlled charging.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of an example of resource communication protocol.

FIG. 10A is a flow chart of an example of a smart charging customerguarantee.

FIG. 10B is a flow chart of an example of smart charging viaperiodically updated schedules.

FIG. 11A is a flow chart of an example of a smart charging benefitanalysis.

FIG. 11B is a flow chart of an example of smart charging via scheduleswith overrides.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart of an example of local load management in thepresence of uncontrolled loads.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart of an example of direct load control overprices-to-devices enabled electric resources.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the presentinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

Overview

Described herein is a power aggregation system for distributed electricresources, and associated methods. In one implementation, a systemcommunicates over the Internet and/or some other public or privatenetworks with numerous individual electric resources connected to apower grid (hereinafter, “grid”). By communicating, the system candynamically aggregate these electric resources to provide power servicesto grid operators (e.g. utilities, Independent System Operators (ISO),etc).

“Power services” as used herein, refers to energy delivery as well asother ancillary services including demand response, regulation, spinningreserves, non-spinning reserves, energy imbalance, reactive power, andsimilar products.

“Aggregation” as used herein refers to the ability to control powerflows into and out of a set of spatially distributed electric resourceswith the purpose of providing a power service of larger magnitude.

“Charge Control Management” as used herein refers to enabling orperforming the starting, stopping, or level-setting of a flow of powerbetween a power grid and an electric resource.

“Power grid operator” as used herein, refers to the entity that isresponsible for maintaining the operation and stability of the powergrid within or across an electric control area. The power grid operatormay constitute some combination of manual/human action/intervention andautomated processes controlling generation signals in response to systemsensors. A “control area operator” is one example of a power gridoperator.

“Control area” as used herein, refers to a contained portion of theelectrical grid with defined input and output ports. The net flow ofpower into this area must equal (within some error tolerance) the sum ofthe power consumption within the area and power outflow from the area,less the power production within in the area.

“Power grid” as used herein means a power distribution system/networkthat connects producers of power with consumers of power. The networkmay include generators, transformers, interconnects, switching stations,and safety equipment as part of either/both the transmission system(i.e., bulk power) or the distribution system (i.e. retail power). Thepower aggregation system is vertically scalable for use within aneighborhood, a city, a sector, a control area, or (for example) one ofthe eight large-scale Interconnects in the North American ElectricReliability Council (NERC). Moreover, the system is horizontallyscalable for use in providing power services to multiple grid areassimultaneously.

“Grid conditions” as used herein, refers to the need for more or lesspower flowing in or out of a section of the electric power grid, inresponse to one of a number of conditions, for example supply changes,demand changes, contingencies and failures, ramping events, etc. Thesegrid conditions typically manifest themselves as power quality eventssuch as under- or over-voltage events or under- or over-frequencyevents.

“Power quality events” as used herein typically refers to manifestationsof power grid instability including voltage deviations and frequencydeviations; additionally, power quality events as used herein alsoincludes other disturbances in the quality of the power delivered by thepower grid such as sub-cycle voltage spikes and harmonics.

“Electric resource” as used herein typically refers to electricalentities that can be commanded to do some or all of these three things:take power (act as load), provide power (act as power generation orsource), and store energy. Examples may include battery/charger/invertersystems for electric or hybrid-electric vehicles, repositories ofused-but-serviceable electric vehicle batteries, fixed energy storage,fuel cell generators, emergency generators, controllable loads, etc.

“Electric vehicle” is used broadly herein to refer to pure electric andhybrid electric vehicles, such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles(PHEVs), especially vehicles that have significant storage batterycapacity and that connect to the power grid for recharging the battery.More specifically, electric vehicle means a vehicle that gets some orall of its energy for motion and other purposes from the power grid.Moreover, an electric vehicle has an energy storage system, which mayconsist of batteries, capacitors, etc., or some combination thereof. Anelectric vehicle may or may not have the capability to provide powerback to the electric grid.

Electric vehicle “energy storage systems” (batteries, super capacitors,and/or other energy storage devices) are used herein as a representativeexample of electric resources intermittently or permanently connected tothe grid that can have dynamic input and output of power. Such batteriescan function as a power source or a power load. A collection ofaggregated electric vehicle batteries can become a statistically stableresource across numerous batteries, despite recognizable tidalconnection trends (e.g., an increase in the total number of vehiclesconnected to the grid at night; a downswing in the collective number ofconnected batteries as the morning commute begins, etc.) Across vastnumbers of electric vehicle batteries, connection trends are predictableand such batteries become a stable and reliable resource to call upon,should the grid or a part of the grid (such as a person's home in ablackout) experience a need for increased or decreased power. Datacollection and storage also enable the power aggregation system topredict connection behavior on a per-user basis.

An Example of the Presently Disclosed System

FIG. 1 shows a power aggregation system 100. A flow control center 102is communicatively coupled with a network, such as a public/private mixthat includes the Internet 104, and includes one or more servers 106providing a centralized power aggregation service. “Internet” 104 willbe used herein as representative of many different types ofcommunicative networks and network mixtures (e.g., one or more wide areanetworks—public or private—and/or one or more local area networks). Viaa network, such as the Internet 104, the flow control center 102maintains communication 108 with operators of power grid(s), andcommunication 110 with remote resources, i.e., communication withperipheral electric resources 112 (“end” or “terminal” nodes/devices ofa power network) that are connected to the power grid 114. In oneimplementation, power line communicators (PLCs), such as those thatinclude or consist of Ethernet-over-power line bridges 120 areimplemented at connection locations so that the “last mile” (in thiscase, last feet—e.g., in a residence 124) of Internet communication withremote resources is implemented over the same wire that connects eachelectric resource 112 to the power grid 114. Thus, each physicallocation of each electric resource 112 may be associated with acorresponding Ethernet-over-power line bridge 120 (hereinafter,“bridge”) at or near the same location as the electric resource 112.Each bridge 120 is typically connected to an Internet access point of alocation owner, as will be described in greater detail below. Thecommunication medium from flow control center 102 to the connectionlocation, such as residence 124, can take many forms, such as cablemodem, DSL, satellite, fiber, WiMax, etc. In a variation, electricresources 112 may connect with the Internet by a different medium thanthe same power wire that connects them to the power grid 114. Forexample, a given electric resource 112 may have its own wirelesscapability to connect directly with the Internet 104 or an Internetaccess point and thereby with the flow control center 102.

Electric resources 112 of the power aggregation system 100 may includethe batteries of electric vehicles connected to the power grid 114 atresidences 124, parking lots 126 etc.; batteries in a repository 128,fuel cell generators, private dams, conventional power plants, and otherresources that produce electricity and/or store electricity physicallyor electrically.

In one implementation, each participating electric resource 112 or groupof local resources has a corresponding remote intelligent power flow(IPF) module 134 (hereinafter, “remote IPF module” 134). The centralizedflow control center 102 administers the power aggregation system 100 bycommunicating with the remote IPF modules 134 distributed peripherallyamong the electric resources 112. The remote IPF modules 134 performseveral different functions, including, but not limited to, providingthe flow control center 102 with the statuses of remote resources;controlling the amount, direction, and timing of power being transferredinto or out of a remote electric resource 112; providing metering ofpower being transferred into or out of a remote electric resource 112;providing safety measures during power transfer and changes ofconditions in the power grid 114; logging activities; and providingself-contained control of power transfer and safety measures whencommunication with the flow control center 102 is interrupted. Theremote IPF modules 134 will be described in greater detail below.

In another implementation, instead of having an IPF module 134, eachelectric resource 112 may have a corresponding transceiver (not shown)to communicate with a local charging component (not shown). Thetransceiver and charging component, in combination, may communicate withflow control center 102 to perform some or all of the above mentionedfunctions of IPF module 134. A transceiver and charging component areshown in FIG. 2B and are described in greater detail herein.

FIG. 2A shows another view of electrical and communicative connectionsto an electric resource 112. In this example, an electric vehicle 200includes a battery bank 202 and a remote IPF module 134. The electricvehicle 200 may connect to a conventional wall receptacle (wall outlet)204 of a residence 124, the wall receptacle 204 representing theperipheral edge of the power grid 114 connected via a residentialpowerline 206.

In one implementation, the power cord 208 between the electric vehicle200 and the wall outlet 204 can be composed of only conventional wireand insulation for conducting alternating current (AC) power to and fromthe electric vehicle 200. In FIG. 2A, a location-specific connectionlocality module 210 performs the function of network access point—inthis case, the Internet access point. A bridge 120 intervenes betweenthe receptacle 204 and the network access point so that the power cord208 can also carry network communications between the electric vehicle200 and the receptacle 204. With such a bridge 120 and connectionlocality module 210 in place in a connection location, no other specialwiring or physical medium is needed to communicate with the remote IPFmodule 134 of the electric vehicle 200 other than a conventional powercord 208 for providing residential line current at any conventionalvoltage. Upstream of the connection locality module 210, power andcommunication with the electric vehicle 200 are resolved into thepowerline 206 and an Internet cable 104.

Alternatively, the power cord 208 may include safety features not foundin conventional power and extension cords. For example, an electricalplug 212 of the power cord 208 may include electrical and/or mechanicalsafeguard components to prevent the remote IPF module 134 fromelectrifying or exposing the male conductors of the power cord 208 whenthe conductors are exposed to a human user.

In some embodiments, a radio frequency (RF) bridge (not shown) mayassist the remote IPF module 134 in communicating with a foreign system,such as a utility smart meter (not shown) and/or a connection localitymodule 210. For example, the remote IPF module 134 may be equipped tocommunicate over power cord 208 or to engage in some form of RFcommunication, such as Zigbee or Bluetooth, and the foreign system maybe able to engage in a different form of RF communication. In such animplementation, the RF bridge may be equipped to communicate with boththe foreign system and remote IPF module 134 and to translatecommunications from one to a form the other may understand, and to relaythose messages. In various embodiments, the RF bridge may be integratedinto the remote IPF module 134 or foreign system, or may be external toboth. The communicative associations between the RF bridge and remoteIPF module 134 and between the RF bridge and foreign system may be viawired or wireless communication.

FIG. 2B shows a further view of electrical and communicative connectionsto an electric resource 112. In this example, the electric vehicle 200may include a transceiver 212 rather than a remote IPF module 134. Thetransceiver 212 may be communicatively coupled to a charging component214 through a connection 216, and the charging component itself may becoupled to a conventional wall receptacle (wall outlet) 204 of aresidence 124 and to electric vehicle 200 through a power cord 208. Theother components shown in FIG. 2B may have the couplings and functionsdiscussed with regard to FIG. 2A.

In various embodiments, transceiver 212 and charging component 214 may,in combination, perform the same functions as the remote IPF module 134.Transceiver 212 may interface with computer systems of electric vehicle200 and communicate with charging component 214, providing chargingcomponent 214 with information about electric vehicle 200, such as itsvehicle identifier, a location identifier, and a state of charge. Inresponse, transceiver 212 may receive requests and commands whichtransceiver 212 may relay to vehicle 200's computer systems.

Charging component 214, being coupled to both electric vehicle 200 andwall outlet 204, may effectuate charge control of the electric vehicle200. If the electric vehicle 200 is not capable of charge controlmanagement, charging component 214 may directly manage the charging ofelectric vehicle 200 by stopping and starting a flow of power betweenthe electric vehicle 200 and a power grid 114 in response to commandsreceived from a flow control server 106. If, on the other hand, theelectric vehicle 200 is capable of charge control management, chargingcomponent 214 may effectuate charge control by sending commands to theelectric vehicle 200 through the transceiver 212.

In some embodiments, the transceiver 212 may be physically coupled tothe electric vehicle 200 through a data port, such as an OBD-IIconnector. In other embodiments, other couplings may be used. Theconnection 216 between transceiver 212 and charging component 214 may bea wireless signal, such as a radio frequency (RF), such as a Zigbee orBluetooth signal. And charging component 214 may include a receiversocket to couple with power cord 208 and a plug to couple with walloutlet 204. In one embodiment, charging component 214 may be coupled toconnection locality module 210 in either a wired or wireless fashion.For example, charging component 214 might have a data interface forcommunicating wirelessly with both the transceiver 212 and localitymodule 210. In such an embodiment, the bridge 120 may not be required.

Further details about the transceiver 212 and charging component 214 areillustrated by FIG. 8B and described in greater detail herein.

FIG. 3 shows another implementation of the connection locality module210 of FIG. 2, in greater detail. In FIG. 3, an electric resource 112has an associated remote IPF module 134, including a bridge 120. Thepower cord 208 connects the electric resource 112 to the power grid 114and also to the connection locality module 210 in order to communicatewith the flow control server 106.

The connection locality module 210 includes another instance of a bridge120, connected to a network access point 302, which may include suchcomponents as a router, switch, and/or modem, to establish a hardwiredor wireless connection with, in this case, the Internet 104. In oneimplementation, the power cord 208 between the two bridges 120 and 120′is replaced by a wireless Internet link, such as a wireless transceiverin the remote IPF module 134 and a wireless router in the connectionlocality module 210.

In other embodiments, a transceiver 212 and charging component 214 maybe used instead of a remote IPF module 134. In such an embodiment, thecharging component 214 may include or be coupled to a bridge 120, andthe connection locality module 210 may also include a bridge 120′, asshown. In yet other embodiments, not shown, charging component 214 andconnection locality module 210 may communicate in a wired or wirelessfashion, as mentioned previously, without bridges 120 and 120′. Thewired or wireless communication may utilize any sort of connectiontechnology known in the art, such as Ethernet or RF communication, suchas Zigbee, or Bluetooth.

System Layouts

FIG. 4 shows a layout 400 of the power aggregation system 100. The flowcontrol center 102 can be connected to many different entities, e.g.,via the Internet 104, for communicating and receiving information. Thelayout 400 includes electric resources 112, such as plug-in electricvehicles 200, physically connected to the grid within a single controlarea 402. The electric resources 112 become an energy resource for gridoperators 404 to utilize.

The layout 400 also includes end users 406 classified into electricresource owners 408 and electrical connection location owners 410, whomay or may not be one and the same. In fact, the stakeholders in a poweraggregation system 100 include the system operator at the flow controlcenter 102, the grid operator 404, the resource owner 408, and the ownerof the location 410 at which the electric resource 112 is connected tothe power grid 114.

Electrical connection location owners 410 can include:

Rental car lots—rental car companies often have a large portion of theirfleet parked in the lot. They can purchase fleets of electric vehicles200 and, participating in a power aggregation system 100, generaterevenue from idle fleet vehicles.

Public parking lots—parking lot owners can participate in the poweraggregation system 100 to generate revenue from parked electric vehicles200. Vehicle owners can be offered free parking, or additionalincentives, in exchange for providing power services.

Workplace parking—employers can participate in a power aggregationsystem 100 to generate revenue from parked employee electric vehicles200. Employees can be offered incentives in exchange for providing powerservices.

Residences—a home garage can merely be equipped with a connectionlocality module 210 to enable the homeowner to participate in the poweraggregation system 100 and generate revenue from a parked car. Also, thevehicle battery 202 and associated power electronics within the vehiclecan provide local power backup power during times of peak load or poweroutages.

Residential neighborhoods—neighborhoods can participate in a poweraggregation system 100 and be equipped with power-delivery devices(deployed, for example, by homeowner cooperative groups) that generaterevenue from parked electric vehicles 200.

The grid operations 116 of FIG. 4 collectively include interactions withenergy markets 412, the interactions of grid operators 404, and theinteractions of automated grid controllers 118 that perform automaticphysical control of the power grid 114.

The flow control center 102 may also be coupled with information sources414 for input of weather reports, events, price feeds, etc. Other datasources 414 include the system stakeholders, public databases, andhistorical system data, which may be used to optimize system performanceand to satisfy constraints on the power aggregation system 100.

Thus, a power aggregation system 100 may consist of components that:

communicate with the electric resources 112 to gather data and actuatecharging/discharging of the electric resources 112;

gather real-time energy prices;

gather real-time resource statistics;

predict behavior of electric resources 112 (connectedness, location,state (such as battery State-Of-Charge) at a given time of interest,such as a time of connect/disconnect);

predict behavior of the power grid 114/load;

encrypt communications for privacy and data security;

actuate charging of electric vehicles 200 to optimize some figure(s) ofmerit;

offer guidelines or guarantees about load availability for variouspoints in the future, etc.

These components can be running on a single computing resource(computer, etc.), or on a distributed set of resources (eitherphysically co-located or not).

Power aggregation systems 100 in such a layout 400 can provide manybenefits: for example, lower-cost ancillary services (i.e., powerservices), fine-grained (both temporal and spatial) control overresource scheduling, guaranteed reliability and service levels,increased service levels via intelligent resource scheduling, and/orfirming of intermittent generation sources such as wind and solar powergeneration.

The power aggregation system 100 enables a grid operator 404 to controlthe aggregated electric resources 112 connected to the power grid 114.An electric resource 112 can act as a power source, load, or storage,and the resource 112 may exhibit combinations of these properties.Control of a set of electric resources 112 is the ability to actuatepower consumption, generation, or energy storage from an aggregate ofthese electric resources 112.

FIG. 5 shows the role of multiple control areas 402 in the poweraggregation system 100. Each electric resource 112 can be connected tothe power aggregation system 100 within a specific electrical controlarea. A single instance of the flow control center 102 can administerelectric resources 112 from multiple distinct control areas 501 (e.g.,control areas 502, 504, and 506). In one implementation, thisfunctionality is achieved by logically partitioning resources within thepower aggregation system 100. For example, when the control areas 402include an arbitrary number of control areas, control area “A” 502,control area “B” 504, . . . , control area “n” 506, then grid operations116 can include corresponding control area operators 508, 510, . . . ,and 512. Further division into a control hierarchy that includes controldivision groupings above and below the illustrated control areas 402allows the power aggregation system 100 to scale to power grids 114 ofdifferent magnitudes and/or to varying numbers of electric resources 112connected with a power grid 114.

FIG. 6 shows a layout 600 of a power aggregation system 100 that usesmultiple centralized flow control centers 102 and 102′ and a directoryserver 602 for determining a flow control center. Each flow controlcenter 102 and 102′ has its own respective end users 406 and 406′.Control areas 402 to be administered by each specific instance of a flowcontrol center 102 can be assigned dynamically. For example, a firstflow control center 102 may administer control area A 502 and controlarea B 504, while a second flow control center 102′ administers controlarea n 506. Likewise, corresponding control area operators (508, 510,and 512) are served by the same flow control center 102 that servestheir respective different control areas.

In various embodiments, an electric resource may determine which flowcontrol center 102/102′ administers its control area 502/504/506 bycommunicating with a directory server 602. The address of the directoryserver 602 may be known to electric resource 112 or its associated IPFmodule 134 or charging component 214. Upon plugging in, the electricresource 112 may communicate with the directory server 602, providingthe directory server 112 with a resource identifier and/or a locationidentifier. Based on this information, the directory server 602 mayrespond, identifying which flow control center 102/102′ to use.

In another embodiment, directory server 602 may be integrated with aflow control server 106 of a flow control center 102/102′. In such anembodiment, the electric resource 112 may contact the server 106. Inresponse, the server 106 may either interact with the electric resource112 itself or forward the connection to another flow control center102/102′ responsible for the location identifier provided by theelectric resource 112.

In some embodiments, whether integrated with a flow control server 106or not, directory server 602 may include a publicly accessible databasefor mapping locations to flow control centers 102/102′.

Flow Control Server

FIG. 7 shows a server 106 of the flow control center 102. Theillustrated implementation in FIG. 7 is only one example configuration,for descriptive purposes. Many other arrangements of the illustratedcomponents or even different components constituting a server 106 of theflow control center 102 are possible within the scope of the subjectmatter. Such a server 106 and flow control center 102 can be executed inhardware, software, or combinations of hardware, software, firmware,etc.

The flow control server 106 includes a connection manager 702 tocommunicate with electric resources 112, a prediction engine 704 thatmay include a learning engine 706 and a statistics engine 708, aconstraint optimizer 710, and a grid interaction manager 712 to receivegrid control signals 714. Grid control signals 714 are sometimesreferred to as generation control signals, such as automated generationcontrol (AGC) signals. The flow control server 106 may further include adatabase/information warehouse 716, a web server 718 to present a userinterface to electric resource owners 408, grid operators 404, andelectrical connection location owners 410; a contract manager 720 tonegotiate contract terms with energy markets 412, and an informationacquisition engine 414 to track weather, relevant news events, etc., anddownload information from public and private databases 722 forpredicting behavior of large groups of the electric resources 112,monitoring energy prices, negotiating contracts, etc.

Remote IPF Module

FIG. 8A shows the remote IPF module 134 of FIGS. 1 and 2 in greaterdetail. The illustrated remote IPF module 134 is only one exampleconfiguration, for descriptive purposes. Many other arrangements of theillustrated components or even different components constituting aremote IPF module 134 are possible within the scope of the subjectmatter. Such a remote IPF module 134 has some hardware components andsome components that can be executed in hardware, software, orcombinations of hardware, software, firmware, etc. In other embodiments,executable instructions configured to perform some or all of theoperations of remote IPF module 134 may be added to hardware of anelectric resource 112 such as an electric vehicle that, when combinedwith the executable instructions, provides equivalent functionality toremote IPF module 134. References to remote IPF module 134 as usedherein include such executable instructions.

The illustrated example of a remote IPF module 134 is represented by animplementation suited for an electric vehicle 200. Thus, some vehiclesystems 800 are included as part of the remote IPF module 134 for thesake of description. However, in other implementations, the remote IPFmodule 134 may exclude some or all of the vehicles systems 800 frombeing counted as components of the remote IPF module 134.

The depicted vehicle systems 800 include a vehicle computer and datainterface 802, an energy storage system, such as a battery bank 202, andan inverter/charger 804. Besides vehicle systems 800, the remote IPFmodule 134 also includes a communicative power flow controller 806. Thecommunicative power flow controller 806 in turn includes some componentsthat interface with AC power from the grid 114, such as a powerlinecommunicator, for example an Ethernet-over-powerline bridge 120, and acurrent or current/voltage (power) sensor 808, such as a current sensingtransformer.

The communicative power flow controller 806 also includes Ethernet andinformation processing components, such as a processor 810 ormicrocontroller and an associated Ethernet media access control (MAC)address 812; volatile random access memory 814, nonvolatile memory 816or data storage, an interface such as an RS-232 interface 818 or aCANbus interface 820; an Ethernet physical layer interface 822, whichenables wiring and signaling according to Ethernet standards for thephysical layer through means of network access at the MAC/Data LinkLayer and a common addressing format. The Ethernet physical layerinterface 822 provides electrical, mechanical, and procedural interfaceto the transmission medium—i.e., in one implementation, using theEthernet-over-powerline bridge 120. In a variation, wireless or othercommunication channels with the Internet 104 are used in place of theEthernet-over-powerline bridge 120.

The communicative power flow controller 806 also includes abidirectional power flow meter 824 that tracks power transfer to andfrom each electric resource 112, in this case the battery bank 202 of anelectric vehicle 200.

The communicative power flow controller 806 operates either within, orconnected to an electric vehicle 200 or other electric resource 112 toenable the aggregation of electric resources 112 introduced above (e.g.,via a wired or wireless communication interface). These above-listedcomponents may vary among different implementations of the communicativepower flow controller 806, but implementations typically include:

-   -   an intra-vehicle communications mechanism that enables        communication with other vehicle components;    -   a mechanism to communicate with the flow control center 102;    -   a processing element;    -   a data storage element;    -   a power meter; and    -   optionally, a user interface.

Implementations of the communicative power flow controller 806 canenable functionality including:

-   -   executing pre-programmed or learned behaviors when the electric        resource 112 is offline (not connected to Internet 104, or        service is unavailable);    -   storing locally-cached behavior profiles for “roaming”        connectivity (what to do when charging on a foreign system,        i.e., when charging in the same utility territory on a foreign        meter or in a separate utility territory, or in disconnected        operation, i.e., when there is no network connectivity);    -   allowing the user to override current system behavior; and    -   metering power-flow information and caching meter data during        offline operation for later transaction.

Thus, the communicative power flow controller 806 includes a centralprocessor 810, interfaces 818 and 820 for communication within theelectric vehicle 200, a powerline communicator, such as anEthernet-over-powerline bridge 120 for communication external to theelectric vehicle 200, and a power flow meter 824 for measuring energyflow to and from the electric vehicle 200 via a connected AC powerline208.

Power Flow Meter

Power is the rate of energy consumption per interval of time. Powerindicates the quantity of energy transferred during a certain period oftime, thus the units of power are quantities of energy per unit of time.The power flow meter 824 measures power for a given electric resource112 across a bidirectional flow—e.g., power from grid 114 to electricvehicle 200 or from electric vehicle 200 to the grid 114. In oneimplementation, the remote IPF module 134 can locally cache readingsfrom the power flow meter 824 to ensure accurate transactions with thecentral flow control server 106, even if the connection to the server isdown temporarily, or if the server itself is unavailable.

Transceiver and Charging Component

FIG. 8B shows the transceiver 212 and charging component 214 of FIG. 2Bin greater detail. The illustrated transceiver 212 and chargingcomponent 214 is only one example configuration, for descriptivepurposes. Many other arrangements of the illustrated components or evendifferent components constituting the transceiver 212 and chargingcomponent 214 are possible within the scope of the subject matter. Sucha transceiver 212 and charging component 214 have some hardwarecomponents and some components that can be executed in hardware,software, or combinations of hardware, software, firmware, etc.

The illustrated example of the transceiver 212 and charging component214 is represented by an implementation suited for an electric vehicle200. Thus, some vehicle systems 800 are illustrated to provide contextto the transceiver 212 and charging component 214 components.

The depicted vehicle systems 800 include a vehicle computer and datainterface 802, an energy storage system, such as a battery bank 202, andan inverter/charger 804. In some embodiments, vehicle systems 800 mayinclude a data port, such as an OBD-II port, that is capable ofphysically coupling with the transceiver 212. The transceiver 212 maythen communicate with the vehicle computer and data interface 802through the data port, receiving information from electric resource 112comprised by vehicle systems 800 and, in some embodiments, providingcommands to the vehicle computer and data interface 802. In oneimplementation, the vehicle computer and data interface 802 may becapable of charge control management. In such an embodiment, the vehiclecomputer and data interface 802 may perform some or all of the chargingcomponent 214 operations discussed below. In other embodiments,executable instructions configured to perform some or all of theoperations of the vehicle computer and data interface 802 may be addedto hardware of an electric resource 112 such as an electric vehiclethat, when combined with the executable instructions, providesequivalent functionality to the vehicle computer and data interface 802.References to the vehicle computer and data interface 802 as used hereininclude such executable instructions.

In various embodiments, the transceiver 212 may have a physical formthat is capable of coupling to a data port of vehicle systems 800. Sucha transceiver 212 may also include a plurality of interfaces, such as anRS-232 interface 818 and/or a CANBus interface 820. In variousembodiments, the RS-232 interface 818 or CANBus interface 820 may enablethe transceiver 212 to communicate with the vehicle computer and datainterface 802 through the data port. Also, the transceiver may be orcomprise an additional interface (not shown) capable of engaging inwireless communication with a data interface 820 of the chargingcomponent 214. The wireless communication may be of any form known inthe art, such as radio frequency (RF) communication (e.g., Zigbee and/orBluetooth communication). In other embodiments, the transceiver maycomprise a separate conductor or may be configured to utilize apowerline 208 to communicate with charging component 214. In yet otherembodiments, not shown, transceiver 212 may simply be a radio frequencyidentification (RFID) tag capable of storing minimal information aboutthe electric resource 112, such as a resource identifier, and of beingread by a corresponding RFID reader of charging component 214. In suchother embodiments, the RFID tag might not couple with a data port orcommunicate with the vehicle computer and data interface 802.

As shown, the charging component 214 may be an intelligent plug devicethat is physically connected to a charging medium, such as a powerline208 (the charging medium coupling the charging component 214 to theelectric resource 112) and an outlet of a power grid (such as the walloutlet 204 shown in FIG. 2B). In other embodiments charging component214 may be a charging station or some other external control. In someembodiments, the charging component 214 may be portable.

In various embodiments, the charging component 214 may includecomponents that interface with AC power from the grid 114, such as apowerline communicator, for example an Ethernet-over-powerline bridge120, and a current or current/voltage (power) sensor 808, such as acurrent sensing transformer.

In other embodiments, the charging component 214 may include a furtherEthernet plug or wireless interface in place of bridge 120. In such anembodiment, data-over-powerline communication is not necessary,eliminating the need for a bridge 120. The Ethernet plug or wirelessinterface may communicate with a local access point, and through thataccess point to flow control server 106.

The charging component 214 may also include Ethernet and informationprocessing components, such as a processor 810 or microcontroller and anassociated Ethernet media access control (MAC) address 812; volatilerandom access memory 814, nonvolatile memory 816 or data storage, a datainterface 826 for communicating with the transceiver 212, and anEthernet physical layer interface 822, which enables wiring andsignaling according to Ethernet standards for the physical layer throughmeans of network access at the MAC/Data Link Layer and a commonaddressing format. The Ethernet physical layer interface 822 provideselectrical, mechanical, and procedural interface to the transmissionmedium—i.e., in one implementation, using the Ethernet-over-powerlinebridge 120. In a variation, wireless or other communication channelswith the Internet 104 are used in place of the Ethernet-over-powerlinebridge 120.

The charging component 214 may also include a bidirectional power flowmeter 824 that tracks power transfer to and from each electric resource112, in this case the battery bank 202 of an electric vehicle 200.

Further, in some embodiments, the charging component 214 may comprise anRFID reader to read the electric resource information from transceiver212 when transceiver 212 is an RFID tag.

Also, in various embodiments, the charging component 214 may include acredit card reader to enable a user to identify the electric resource112 by providing credit card information. In such an embodiment, atransceiver 212 may not be necessary.

Additionally, in one embodiment, the charging component 214 may includea user interface, such as one of the user interfaces described ingreater detail below.

Implementations of the charging component 214 can enable functionalityincluding:

-   -   executing pre-programmed or learned behaviors when the electric        resource 112 is offline (not connected to Internet 104, or        service is unavailable);    -   storing locally-cached behavior profiles for “roaming”        connectivity (what to do when charging on a foreign system or in        disconnected operation, i.e., when there is no network        connectivity);    -   allowing the user to override current system behavior; and    -   metering power-flow information and caching meter data during        offline operation for later transaction.

User Interfaces (UI)

Charging Station UI. An electrical charging station, whether free or forpay, can be installed with a user interface that presents usefulinformation to the user. Specifically, by collecting information aboutthe grid 114, the electric resource state, and the preferences of theuser, the station can present information such as the currentelectricity price, the estimated recharge cost, the estimated time untilrecharge, the estimated payment for uploading power to the grid 114(either total or per hour), etc. The information acquisition engine 414communicates with the electric resource 112 and with public and/orprivate data networks 722 to acquire the data used in calculating thisinformation.

The types of information gathered from the electric resource 112 couldinclude an electric resource identifier (resource ID) and stateinformation like the state of charge of the electric resource 112. Theresource ID could be used to obtain knowledge of the electric resourcetype and capabilities, preferences, etc. through lookup with the flowcontrol server 106.

In various embodiments, the charging station system including the UImight also gather grid-based information, such as current and futureenergy costs at the charging station.

User Charge Control UI Mechanisms. In various embodiments, by default,electric resources 112 may receive charge control management via poweraggregation system 100. In some embodiments, an override control may beprovided to override charge control management and charge as soon aspossible. The override control may be provided, in various embodiments,as a user interface mechanism of the remote IPF module 134, the chargingcomponent 214, of the electric resource (for example, if electricresource is a vehicle 200, the user interface control may be integratedwith dash controls of the vehicle 200) or even via a web page offered byflow control server 106. The control could be presented, for example, asa button, a touch screen option, a web page, or some other UI mechanism.In one embodiment, the UI may be the UI illustrated by FIG. 8C anddiscussed in greater detail below. In some embodiments, the overridewould be a one-time override, only applying to a single plug-in session.Upon disconnecting and reconnecting, the user may again need to interactwith the UI mechanism to override the charge control management.

In some embodiments, the user may pay more to charge with the overrideon than under charge control management, thus providing an incentive forthe user to accept charge control management. Such a cost differentialmay be displayed or rendered to the user in conjunction with or on theUI mechanism. This differential could take into account time-varyingpricing, such as Time of Use (TOU), Critical Peak Pricing (CPP), andReal-Time Pricing (RTP) schemes, as discussed above, as well as anyother incentives, discounts, or payments that might be forgone by notaccepting charge control management.

UI Mechanism for Management Preferences. In various embodiments, a userinterface mechanism of the remote IPF module 134, the charging component214, of the electric resource (for example, if electric resource is avehicle 200, the user interface control may be integrated with dashcontrols of the vehicle 200) or even via a web page offered by flowcontrol server 106 may enable a user to enter and/or edit managementpreferences to affect charge control management of the user's electricresource 112. In some embodiments, the UI mechanism may allow the userto enter/edit general preferences, such as whether charge controlmanagement is enabled, whether vehicle-to-grid power flow is enabled orwhether the electric resource 112 should only be charged withclean/green power. Also, in various embodiments, the UI mechanism mayenable a user to prioritize relative desires for minimizing costs,maximizing payments (i.e., fewer charge periods for higher amounts),achieving a full state-of-charge for the electric resource 112, chargingas rapidly as possible, and/or charging in as environmentally-friendly away as possible. Additionally, the UI mechanism may enable a user toprovide a default schedule for when the electric resource will be used(for example, if resource 112 is a vehicle 200, the schedule would befor when the vehicle 200 should be ready to drive). Further, the UImechanism may enable the user to add or select special rules, such as arule not to charge if a price threshold is exceeded or a rule to onlyuse charge control management if it will earn the user at least aspecified threshold of output. Charge control management may then beeffectuated based on any part or all of these user entered preferences.

Simple User Interface. FIG. 8C illustrates a simple user interface (UI)which enables a user to control charging based on selecting among alimited number of high level preferences. For example, UI 2300 includesthe categories “green”, “fast”, and “cheap” (with what is considered“green”, “fast”, and “cheap” varying from embodiment to embodiment). Thecategories shown in UI 2300 are selected only for the sake ofillustration and may instead includes these and/or any other categoriesapplicable to electric resource 112 charging known in the art. As shown,the UI 2300 may be very basic, using well known form controls such asradio buttons. In other embodiments, other graphic controls known in theart may be used. The general categories may be mapped to specificcharging behaviors, such as those discussed above, by a flow controlserver 106.

Electric Resource Communication Protocol

FIG. 9 illustrates a resource communication protocol. As shown, a remoteIPF module 134 or charging component 214 may be in communication with aflow control server 106 over the Internet 104 or another networkingfabric or combination of networking fabrics. In various embodiments, aprotocol specifying an order of messages and/or a format for messagesmay be used to govern the communications between the remote IPF module134 or charging component 214 and flow control server 106.

In some embodiments, the protocol may include two channels, one formessages initiated by the remote IPF module 134 or charging component214 and for replies to those messages from the flow control server 106,and another channel for messages initiated by the flow control server106 and for replies to those messages from the remote IPF module 134 orcharging component 214. The channels may be asynchronous with respect toeach other (that is, initiation of messages on one channel may beentirely independent of initiation of messages on the other channel).However, each channel may itself be synchronous (that is, once a messageis sent on a channel, another message may not be sent until a reply tothe first message is received).

As shown, the remote IPF module 134 or charging component 214 mayinitiate communication 902 with the flow control server 106. In someembodiments, communication 902 may be initiated when, for example, anelectric resource 112 first plugs in/connects to the power grid 114. Inother embodiments, communication 902 may be initiated at another time ortimes. The initial message 902 governed by the protocol may require, forexample, one or more of an electric resource identifier, such as a MACaddress, a protocol version used, and/or a resource identifier type.

Upon receipt of the initial message by the flow control server 106, aconnection may be established between the remote IPF module 134 orcharging component 214 and flow control server 106. Upon establishing aconnection, the remote IPF module 134 or charging component 214 mayregister with flow control server 106 through a subsequent communication903. Communication 903 may include a location identifier scheme, alatitude, a longitude, a max power value that the remote IPF module 134or charging component 214 can draw, a max power value that the remoteIPF module 134 or charging component 214 can provide, a current powervalue, and/or a current state of charge.

After the initial message 902, the protocol may require or allowmessages 904 from the flow control server 106 to the remote IPF module134 or charging component 214 or messages 906 from remote IPF module 134or charging component 214 to the flow control server 106. The messages904 may include, for example, one or more of commands, messages, and/orupdates. Such messages 904 may be provided at any time after the initialmessage 902. In one embodiment, messages 904 may include a commandsetting, a power level and/or a ping to determine whether the remote IPFmodule 134 or charging component 214 is still connected.

The messages 906 may include, for example, status updates to theinformation provided in the registration message 903. Such messages 906may be provided at any time after the initial message 902. In oneembodiment, the messages 906 may be provided on a pre-determined timeinterval basis. In various embodiments, messages 906 may even be sentwhen the remote IPF module 134 or charging component 214 is connected,but not registered. Such messages 906 may include data that is stored byflow control server 106 for later processing. Also, in some embodiments,messages 904 may be provided in response to a message 902 or 906.

Smart Charging Customer Guarantees for Electric Vehicles

In many applications, it is beneficial for an entity, such as a utilitycompany, to moderate the rate of power flow into an electric vehicle orsimilar device. Because an electric vehicle is typically plugged in formore hours than is required to fully charge the electric vehicle, aflexible charge pattern is consistent with fully charging the battery.In many business environments, it is necessary to obtain the consent ofthe vehicle owner or operator in order to impose such a power flowmanagement program.

A key component of obtaining such consent is to provide a smart chargingbehavior guarantee to the owner of an electric resource. A wellstructured guarantee will avoid inconveniencing the vehicle owner, butwill still provide substantial flexibility with regard to power flowinto, and/or out of, the vehicle.

An example of such a smart charging behavior guarantee includes havingan electric vehicle charge to a predetermined level within a set numberof hours of plugging the electric vehicle into an electrical outlet. Theguarantee may be an agreement to charge the electric vehicle to level X(e.g. fully charged) within N (e.g. 10.5) hours of having been connectedto a power grid.

In another embodiment of the smart charging behavior guarantee, anelectric vehicle is charged to level X by time Y, where time Y can beset by the user (e.g. every morning at 7 a.m.). The time Y may beinferred by the system based on predictions from past individual and/oraggregate behavior.

In yet another embodiment, the smart charging behavior guaranteeprohibits more than N hours of total non-charging time (i.e. totaldelay) before reaching level X during a charge session. For example, theguarantee can set a maximum of 3 hours of total non-charging time beforethe battery reaches the target level.

The smart charging behavior guarantee, in one embodiment, prohibits morethan N hours of total non-charging time (i.e. total delay) beforereaching level X during given time window. This may be across multiplecharge sessions. For example, the guarantee can set a maximum of 3 hoursof total non-charging time spread over all charging sessions occurringduring a 24 hour period.

In another embodiment, the guarantee prohibits more than N hours oftotal non-charging time (i.e. total delay) before reaching level Xand/or no more than M non-charging events during given long time window.Once again, this may be across multiple charge sessions, such as settinga maximum of 50 hours of total non-charging time, and/or 10 curtailmentevents, spread over a whole year.

In one embodiment, in each time period (e.g. 1 hour) during charging, atleast N % of the time is set to be spent charging (e.g. at least 50% ofeach hour). The time spent charging may be static from hour to hour. Theactual charging time may be set to follow a curve over a time period,where the N % changes over the time periods (e.g. 20% the first hour,30% the second hour, etc.).

For established smart charging behavior guarantees, a chargeoptimization engine incorporates each customers' specific guarantee intoa system-wide charging plan. This allows the system overall to achieveaggregate goals, which may include but are not limited to load shifting,demand response, load leveling, wind (or other renewable) smoothing orfirming, providing spinning/non-spinning reserves, providing systemregulation, or other energy or ancillary services.

The guarantee may potentially be structured to provide financial orother remediation to the vehicle owner if the terms are not met. Forexample, in such a case the owner could be given a payment (e.g. $20),or given free charging for a period of time (e.g. 1 week), or othersimilar forms of compensation.

In an embodiment, a time by which the vehicle charging must be completedincludes calculating, when a vehicle plugs in, the charging time neededto charge the vehicle to the goal level of state of charge. In a linearcharging time model, the delayable time is:Max(((target_SOC−current_SOC)/100)*energy_capacity/charging_rate, 0).Given variable (A) for the charge time, and variable (B) for the amountof time available until the deadline time, the model Max(B-A, 0)calculates the amount of delayable time available for the purposes ofsmart charging. For example, if it will take 6 hours to charge to thedesired level, and 10 hours are available, we have 4 hours of delayabletime. More complex charging time models, such as non-linear models,could be utilized instead of the simple linear model. In avehicle-to-grid embodiment, the delayable time may shrink based on theamount of energy transferred out of the vehicle.

In an embodiment, the available delay for a given vehicle may be used asinput to a cost function that is used to select which vehicles to delay.The more delay available for a given vehicle, the more eligible it isfor selection to be delayed, and vice versa. If no delay is available,the cost of selecting this vehicle for delay is infinite, and cannot beselected, or potentially based on the magnitude of the penalty for notmeeting the guarantee.

FIG. 10A shows an embodiment of a smart charging customer guarantee. Acharging behavior guarantee is determined 1010 for an electric resource.The charging behavior guarantee comprises a guaranteed charging schedulethat matches a regular charging schedule of the electric resource. Theguaranteed charging schedule may provide for power flow flexibility. Thecharging behavior guarantee is transmitted 1020 from a server to theelectric resources. The charging behavior for electric resources aremanaged 1030 based partially on the guaranteed charging schedule.

Smart Charging Via Periodically Updated Schedules

In some environments, it is desirable to implement a centrally managedsmart charging system or program without requiring continuous, real-timecommunication between the endpoint device and the central server. Inthese situations, a periodically updated schedule is beneficial. Becausesuch a schedule can be frequently updated by the central server, thedisclosed system presents significant advantages over a simple timersystem which delays charging to a fixed off-peak time. Such a schedulewould be transmitted from the server to the vehicles or endpoints andwould allow individual vehicles or endpoints to operate in anintelligent but disconnected manner.

In an embodiment, every resource in the power flow management systemmaintains a persistent, current schedule of default charging behavior.This schedule is periodically transmitted to the resource over acommunications network.

The schedule, in one embodiment, defines average power-level constraintsfor resources during each fixed length interval over the period of theschedule. For example, a one-day schedule could be subdivided into 96fifteen-minute time slots. The average power-level is defined as thepercent of time during the slot that the resource can charge at itsmaximum charge power. For example, 33% average power-level signifiesthat the resource should charge at maximum power for five minutes of afifteen-minute time slot. The energy consumption can also take place at33% of maximum power for the entirety of the fifteen-minute slot.

Upon receiving an updated schedule from the server, the clientimmediately replaces its old schedule with the updated schedule. If theclient's current operating mode is a pre-scheduled operation, the clientcan immediately enact the new schedule.

At a fixed period, the client can send an update to the central energymanagement server. The fixed period may be specified as part of theschedule. The update can specify information about its current stateincluding information about current power-level, battery state-of-charge(SOC), and energy transferred during each of the time slots that havenot been previously reported. When an energy session terminates withoutthe client being able to communicate with the server, the informationabout energy consumption and battery SOC by time interval is storeduntil the information can be communicated to the energy managementsystem.

Because the server would have detailed knowledge of the chargingschedule being followed by each vehicle, the server could includescheduled vehicle behavior in electrical load planning, even though thevehicles were not in constant communication with the server.

Since such a schedule can be updated at regular intervals by the centralserver, this system presents significant advantages over a simple timersystem that always delays charging to a fixed off-peak time. Forexample, if a large population of vehicles were each configured tocharge at a particular off peak time, the sudden increase in load frommultiple vehicles simultaneously beginning charging would constitute anew peak. Through the use of centrally managed individual schedules,each vehicle can be configured to begin charging at a different time,thereby eliminating the new peak.

FIG. 10B shows an embodiment of smart charging via periodically updatedschedules for a power management system. A charging schedule isperiodically transmitted 1040 from a server. The charging schedule isreceived 1050 by a device, such as an electric vehicle. The chargingschedule replaces 1060 the device's prior schedule.

In a system for managing electric resources with smart charging customerguarantees or for managing smart charging via periodically updatedschedules, the charging behavior guarantee and the electrical loads maybe determined by an energy management system, such as the poweraggregation system 100 as shown in FIG. 1 and described above. Theserver may be the flow control server 106 of the flow control center102.

Smart Charging Benefit Analysis

Energy management systems have been developed for controlling the powerdraw of distributed electrical loads, such as electric vehicles. Suchsystems use various methods, such as load interruption, load reduction,and reverse energy flow, to reduce the impact of the load on theelectric grid and the local distribution infrastructure.

A component of evaluating such a system is understanding the specificbenefit the system has provided. To facilitate such an understanding, anenergy management system could produce a user-readable representation ofthe impact of the system. The energy management system could calculatekey energy flow values and compare them to the baseline that would haveoccurred without the intervention of the system. Because the baselinebehavior would not actually occur in the presence of an active energymanagement system, the system would necessarily calculate a syntheticbaseline from available information.

By comparing the baseline to managed energy flow values, the energymanagement system can demonstrate the modification effected to the loadcurve, the reduction in peak power demand, and the amount of load thatwas controllable for various purposes.

In addition to past values, the energy management system can usescheduled and predicted values to generate this information for thefuture. This allows a graphical, tabular, or other representation of thebenefits of the energy management system that extends into the past andfuture. An example view that is useful is the aggregate power drawn by apopulation of vehicles (and potentially other devices) over time, bothactual past and future predicted given a particular smart chargingregime in effect, and compare this to predicted past and futureaggregate power given a different smart charging regime (such asunmanaged charging).

A backwards in time looking synthetic baseline can be created by takingthe actual vehicle data in terms of time of plugin, state of charge atplugin, and so forth, and simulating the power flows that would haveoccurred under a different smart charging regime, or under unmanagedcharging. Likewise, forwards in time looking synthetic baseline may becreated by first using models that predict, per vehicle, the time andSOC at plugin, and duration of plugin, and then applying a given smartcharging regime (possibly including unmanaged charging) to create a netpower curve.

Smart Charging Via Schedule with Override

In some environments, it is be desirable to implement a centrallymanaged smart charging system or program where bandwidth utilization isminimized, but where real-time control of individual endpoints is stillpossible. In these situations, a periodically updated schedule withreal-time override messages may be beneficial.

In this system, every resource in the power flow management systemmaintains a persistent, current schedule of default charging behavior.This schedule is periodically transmitted to the resource over acommunications network. The schedule may represent the behavior that is,on average, beneficial in the local environment. For example, vehiclescould be configured to charge slowly at peak times (perhaps 5:00-8:00PM) and more rapidly and off peak times (perhaps 8:00 PM-2:00 AM).

While a schedule allows for charging behavior to be controlled withoutrequiring continuous communications, a purely schedule-based systemcannot address unpredictable grid or utility operational demands. Whilepower capacity is generally in plentiful supply in the evening,unexpected events could cause a power shortage. Similarly, while poweris usually in relatively short supply in the early evening, unexpectedevents could produce a surplus.

By issuing real-time override messages, the server has the ability toaccommodate these unexpected “out of schedule” events. At times ofsurplus electricity, vehicles can be directed to increase energyconsumption, at variance from their pre-programmed schedules. At timesof energy shortage, vehicles can be directed to decrease energyconsumption, at variance from their schedules. When energy availabilityis largely as predicted, no communication is required between the serverand the endpoints/vehicles, even though the vehicles are following agenerally beneficial smart charging schedule.

By selectively issuing real-time control messages, an energy managementsystem can produce the effect of directly controlling an entirepopulation of electric vehicles without directly communicating with eachof them. Because the schedule transmitted to each vehicle is known bythe optimization engine of the central energy management server, thescheduled behavior can be incorporated into the optimization process asif the vehicle was under direct control. Only necessary adjustmentcommands must be transmitted.

FIG. 11A shows an embodiment of a smart charging benefit analysis. Asmart charging benefit is determined 1110. The smart charging benefit isprovided by an energy management system which manages electricresources. The smart charging benefit results from the energy managementsystem and benefits an electric resource. A benefit representation ofthe smart charging benefit is transmitted 1120 from a server to theelectric resource. The charging behavior for electric resources aremanaged 1130 based partially on the smart charging benefit. In a systemfor managing electric resources via a smart charging benefit analysis,the smart charging benefit may be determined by an energy managementsystem, such as the power aggregation system 100 as shown in FIG. 1 anddescribed above. The server may be the flow control server 106 of theflow control center 102.

FIG. 11B shows an embodiment of smart charging via schedules withoverrides for a power management system. A default charging schedule isperiodically transmitted 1140 from a server. The default chargingschedule is received 1150 by a device, such as an electric vehicle. Acharging schedule override is transmitted from the server and overrides1160 the default charging schedule. In a system for managing smartcharging via schedules with overrides, the electrical loads may bemanaged by a management system, such as the power aggregation system 100as shown in FIG. 1 and described above. The server may be the flowcontrol server 106 of the flow control center 102.

Local Load Management in the Presence of Uncontrolled Loads

Energy management systems control the power draw of distributedelectrical loads, such as electric vehicles. One of the benefits of suchan system is the management of power-draw on feeder or premisescircuits. For example, ten charging stations are installed on a branchcircuit that only has the capacity to support five vehicles running atmaximum power. An energy management system can be used to ensure thatthe total power consumed does not exceed the capacity of the branchcircuit, while ensuring that the branch circuit is used to its fullestwhen sufficient cars are attached.

Similarly, facilities that are subject to utility demand charge (asurcharge based on the peak power consumed by the facility) may wish tokeep total power consumption below a particular threshold.

While an energy management system can achieve a particular total loadtarget by regulating the power drawn by each load on a circuit or in asite, there are many situations wherein some loads on the site orcircuit are not under the control of the energy management system. In anembodiment, the power level of such uncontrolled loads or resources maynot be controllable or adjustable by the energy management system.

In this situation, the energy management system may still be able toachieve a load-level goal for the entire site, provided it has access toinformation about the uncontrolled loads. For example, when the energymanagement system has real-time access to the total power level for asite under management (from a meter), it can infer the amount ofuncontrolled load currently present in the site. This calculation isperformed by subtracting the load under management from the total loadreported for the entire site.

The energy management system could then adjust the target of the portionof load under control to be equal to the difference between the totaldesired load level and the amount of uncontrolled load.

As the uncontrolled increased, the controlled loads would be reduced. Asthe uncontrolled loads decreased, the controlled loads would increase.The result would be that total load remains under control, while theelectric vehicles representing controlled loads have access to as muchpower as possible.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of local load management in the presence ofuncontrolled loads for a power management system. A server receives 1201power levels for electric resources at a site comprising controlledelectric resources and uncontrolled electric resources. The total powerlevel is determined 1202 and the controlled power level for thecontrolled electric resources is determined 1203. Based on the totalpower level and the controlled power level, the uncontrolled power levelfor the uncontrolled electric is determined 1204. The total power levelis managed 1205 for the electric resources based on the saiddeterminations. The management step may be performed on a particularmachine, such as a physical computing device.

In a system for local load management in the presence of uncontrolledloads, the total power level may be managed by a management system, suchas the power aggregation system 100 as shown in FIG. 1 and describedabove. The server may be the flow control server 106 of the flow controlcenter 102.

Direct Load Control Via Prices to Devices

A prices-to-devices method for managing distributed power resources isto broadcast the current energy price to all such devices. Each devicecan have configurable rules that determine their behavior given anenergy price. For example, according to one rule, an electric vehicle ischarged if the energy price is less than X.

A direct-control method for managing distributed power resources is tosend specific behavior instructions to specific devices. For example, anelectric vehicle is commanded to either be charged immediately or not tobe charged right now.

Direct load control offers benefits above those possible withprices-to-devices models. These benefits include the ability todeterministically curtail load, and the ability to precisely match loadto an external signal. The external signal may be an AGC or a gridstabilization signal, or a signal indicating the ability of renewableenergy.

While direct-control offers operation benefits, there may existenvironments where prices-to-devices enabled endpoints have beendeployed, and it is not practical to upgrade or replace them. If directload control is desired in such an environment, it is necessary toretrofit direct-control over the prices-to-devices protocol.

Direct-control can be layered over prices-to-devices by dynamicallyadjusting the price transmitted to a set of devices in a way that isdisconnected from the actual price of electricity, but that will achievethe desired behavior. For example, if there is a spinning reserves call,such that there is a sudden requirement that an electricity shortage bequickly made up through load curtailment, a price signal can be sent toa set of devices that is high enough to cause an appropriate number ofdevices to curtail charging.

In some circumstances, the server may have knowledge of the specificrules used by the controlled devices to determine the at what pricesthey will initiate and terminate charging. In such a circumstance, theserver may deterministically control the behavior of devices by sendingprice signals known to trigger the desired behavior in the controlleddevices.

In other circumstances, the server may not have knowledge of thespecific rules used by the controlled devices. If smart metering orother similar technologies are present in such a circumstance, theserver may still accomplish direct load control through an iterativeprocess. Specifically, the server could adjust the price sent to alldevices, monitor the resulting adjustment in electrical load, and thencalculate a subsequent adjustment to the price sent to all devices.Through a series of progressive price adjustments, the specific desiredload profile could be realized.

FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of direct load control via prices-to-devicesfor a power management system. An energy price is determined 1301 forelectric resources comprising prices-to-devices enabled electricresources. The energy price is adjusted 1302 and transmitted 1303 from aserver to a electric resource. The charging behavior of theprices-to-devices enabled electric resources are managed 1304.

In a system for managing electric resources with direct control overprices-to-devices enabled devices, the charging behavior may be managedby a management system, such as the power aggregation system 100 asshown in FIG. 1 and described above. The server may be the flow controlserver 106 of the flow control center 102. A system that uses a smartcharging benefit analysis may also utilize smart charging customerguarantees, as described above.

CONCLUSION

Although systems and methods have been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather,the specific features and acts are disclosed as examples ofimplementations of the claimed methods, devices, systems, etc. It willbe understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in formand details may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

1. A method for smart charging via periodically updated schedules,comprising the steps: periodically transmitting a charging schedule viaa network from a server to a plurality of electric resources; receiving,by at least one of the plurality of electric resources, the chargingschedule via the network from the server; and, replacing a priorcharging schedule with the received charging schedule, wherein the priorcharging schedule controlled charging behavior for the at least one ofthe plurality of electric resources.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe electric resources are distributed.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the electric resources are electric vehicles.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the server is a central energy management server. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein the charging schedule provides chargingbehavior for each one of the plurality of electric resources.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the charging schedule defines averagepower-level constraints for the plurality of electrical resources. 7.The method of claim 1, wherein the average power-level constraints arebased on a fixed time interval over a time period of charging schedule.8. The method of claim 1, wherein the average power-level constraintsare based on a percent of time during a time interval that at least oneof the plurality of electrical resources charges at maximum chargepower.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the time interval is fixed. 10.The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality ofelectrical resources consumes energy at a percent of the maximum chargepower during the time interval that the at least one of the plurality ofelectrical resources charges at the maximum charge power, wherein thepercent of the maximum charge power is equivalent to a percentcorresponding to a percent of time during the time interval that the atleast one of the plurality of electrical resources charges at themaximum charge power.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:immediately enacting the received charging schedule.
 12. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: storing unreported information in adatabase in the at least one of the plurality of electric resources,wherein the unreported information selected from a group consisting ofthe following: energy consumption, current power-level, battery state ofcharge, or energy transfers. 13.-30. (canceled)
 31. A method for localload management in the presence of uncontrolled loads, comprising thesteps: receiving, at a server, power levels for a plurality of electricresources, wherein the plurality of electric resources are located at asite; determining a total power level for the plurality of electricresources, wherein the plurality of electric resources comprisecontrolled electric resources and uncontrolled electric resources;determining a controlled power level for the controlled electricresources, wherein the controlled power level is adjustable via theserver; determining an uncontrolled power level for the uncontrolledelectric resources based on the total power level and the controlledpower level, wherein the uncontrolled power level is unadjustable viathe server; and, managing the total power level for the plurality ofelectric resources based on the said determinations, wherein the step ofmanaging the total power level is performed on at least one particularmachine, said at least one particular machine comprising at least onephysical computing device.
 32. The method of claim 31, wherein theelectric resources are electric vehicles.
 33. The method of claim 31,wherein the step of determining the uncontrolled power level is based ona power level variance between the controlled power level and the totalpower level.
 34. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of determiningthe uncontrolled power level comprises subtracting the controlled powerlevel from the total power level.
 35. The method of claim 31, whereinthe step of managing the total power level comprises adjusting thecontrolled power level based on a power level variance between the totalpower level and the uncontrolled power level.
 36. The method of claim31, wherein the step of managing the total power level comprisesdecreasing the controlled power level by an amount substantially equalto an increase in the uncontrolled power level.
 37. The method of claim31, wherein the step of managing the total power level comprisesincreasing the controlled power level by an amount substantially equalto a decrease in the uncontrolled power level.
 38. The method of claim35, further comprising: preventing the total power level from exceedinga threshold.
 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the threshold is amaximum capacity of a branch circuit at the site.
 40. The method ofclaim 31, wherein the step of managing the total power level comprisesutilizing a branch circuit at the site at approximately maximumcapacity.
 41. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of managing thetotal power level comprises reducing an utility demand charge.
 42. Themethod of claim 31, wherein the plurality of electric resources that arelocated at the site are on a single branch circuit.
 43. The method ofclaim 31, wherein the server has real-time access to the plurality ofelectric resources.
 44. A method for managing electric resources withdirect control over prices-to-devices enabled devices, comprising thesteps: determining an energy price for a plurality of electricresources, wherein the plurality of electric resources compriseprices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein theprices-to-devices enabled electric resources have configurable rules fordetermining charging behavior based an energy price; adjusting theenergy price for at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electricresources; transmitting, from a server, the adjusted energy price to theat least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources; and,managing charging behavior of the at least one of the prices-to-devicesenabled electric resources, wherein the step of managing the chargingbehavior is performed on at least one particular machine, said at leastone particular machine comprising at least one physical computingdevice.
 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of adjusting theenergy price comprises: determining a threshold price from theconfigurable rules for the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabledelectric resources, wherein the at least one of the prices-to-devicesenabled electric resources charges only when the energy price is belowthe threshold price, wherein the server has access to the configurablerules for determining charging of the at least one of theprices-to-devices enabled electric resources; and increasing the energyprice above the threshold price, whereby the at least one of theprices-to-devices enabled electric resources curtails charging.
 46. Themethod of claim 44, wherein the step of adjusting the energy pricecomprises: determining a threshold price from the configurable rules forthe at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources,wherein the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electricresources charges only when the energy price is below the thresholdprice, wherein the server has access to the configurable rules fordetermining charging of the at least one of the prices-to-devicesenabled electric resources; and decreasing the energy price below thethreshold price, whereby the at least one of the prices-to-devicesenabled electric resources initiates charging.
 47. The method of claim44, wherein the step of adjusting the energy price comprises:determining a profile of the at least one of the prices-to-devicesenabled electric resources via a series of progressive priceadjustments, wherein the profile comprises profile rules for determiningcharging behavior of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabledelectric resources, wherein the configurable rules for determiningcharging of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electricresources are unaccessible to the server, wherein the at least one ofthe prices-to-devices enabled electric resources has a smart meteringdevice or software; determining a threshold price from the profile rulesfor the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electricresources, wherein the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabledelectric resources charges only when the energy price is below thethreshold price, increasing the energy price above the threshold price,whereby the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electricresources curtails charging.
 48. The method of claim 44, wherein thestep of adjusting the energy price comprises: determining a profile ofthe at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources viaa series of progressive price adjustments, wherein the profile comprisesprofile rules for determining charging behavior of the at least one ofthe prices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein theconfigurable rules for determining charging of the at least one of theprices-to-devices enabled electric resources are unaccessible to theserver, wherein the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabledelectric resources has a smart metering device or software; determininga threshold price from the profile rules for the at least one of theprices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein the at least oneof the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources charges only whenthe energy price is below the threshold price, decreasing the energyprice above the threshold price, whereby the at least one of theprices-to-devices enabled electric resources initiates charging. 49.-53.(canceled)
 54. A method for managing electric resources with smartcharging customer guarantees, comprising the steps: determining acharging behavior guarantee for at least one of a plurality of electricresources, wherein the charging behavior guarantee comprises aguaranteed charging schedule that matches a regular charging schedule ofthe at least one of the plurality of electric resources, wherein theguaranteed charging schedule provides for power flow flexibility;transmitting the charging behavior guarantee from a server to the atleast one of a plurality of electric resources; and, managing chargingbehavior of the plurality of electric resources based partially on theguaranteed charging schedule, wherein the step of managing the chargingbehavior is performed on at least one particular machine, said at leastone particular machine comprising at least one physical computingdevice.
 55. The method of claim 54, wherein the step of managing thecharging behavior of the plurality of electric resources comprises:determining a plurality of charging behavior guarantees for theplurality of electric resources; determining a charging plan based oneach one of the plurality of charging behavior guarantees; and,utilizing the charging plan to manage the plurality of electricresources.
 56. The method of claim 54, wherein the step of managing thecharging behavior of the plurality of electric resources comprises:moderating power flow to the at least one of the plurality of electricresources based on the guaranteed charging schedule.
 57. The method ofclaim 54, further comprising: obtaining consent for the chargingbehavior guarantee from the at least one of the plurality of electricresources. 58.-93. (canceled)